Lady Knights surrender six-run lead, hold on for 10-8 win

Wednesday, May 07, 2014 12:09 AM

Crestview shortstop Tianna Rager takes a throw as Coldwater’s Brittany Gillis slides into second base during the Lady Knights’ 10-8 win on Tuesday. Rager had two hits and an RBI in the win. (Times Bulletin/Tina Eley)

By Jim Cox
Times Bulletin Correspondent
sports@timesbulletin.com
CONVOY — For awhile Tuesday it looked like Crestview softball fans would get a run-rule win and an early supper. As it turned out, they got the win, but it was a 10-8 squeaker, and may have been their longest game of the year. The Lady Knights are now 13-6. The Lady Cavaliers are 7-12.
Crestview piled up a 7-0 lead in the first three innings, a lead which could have been much bigger as the Knights left seven runners on base. It was 8-1 after five innings, but things got really interesting after that. Coldwater sent 11 batters to the plate in the top of the sixth while scoring seven runs to tie it at 8-8. Only three of those runs were earned, thanks to two critical Lady Knight infield errors.
Crestview bounced back in the bottom of the sixth, however. The Knights loaded the bases on walks to left fielder Brady Guest, relief pitcher Courtney Grote, and right fielder Mallory Bowen. Left-handed hitting center fielder Cora Millay grounded out to the second baseman, plating Guest and putting runners at second and third. With coach Carl Etzler calling for a safety squeeze, Lauren Schmid, laid down a bunt that she clearly would beat out, leaving the pitcher no chance of nailing Grote at home.
However, the Cavs weren’t done. In the top of the seventh, the first two batters reached on a walk and a single. Grote got the next two, however, on a pop-up to shortstop Tiana Rager and a force-out at third, Rager to Kirstin Hicks. Coldwater then loaded the sacks on a ground single up the middle by second baseman Joelle Hemmelgarn. Angie Klosterman popped out to Rager to end the suspense.

“I thought we had some mental let-downs when we had a big lead,” said Etzler. “They started putting it in play, and I thought we didn’t focus very well on defense. Before you know it, the game is tied. Then we came back in the last inning. We had some key at-bats to score those two runs. The girls had to re-focus and get it back together, and I thought they did a nice job of that.”
Hicks started in the circle for Crestview, but didn’t have her usual command. She was relieved by Grote in the middle of the big sixth inning after striking out four, walking four, and hitting a batter. In her 5 1/3 innings she was charged with four runs, all earned, on four hits. Grote was touched for four runs, all in the sixth inning, none earned, on four hits, but got the win. She fanned one and walked one.
Scoring:
Coldwater 000 107 0- 8 8 2
Crestview 034 012 x- 10 9 3
Coldwater (ab-r-h-rbi)
Hemmelgarn 2b 4-1-1-0, Klosterman dp 5-2-1-0, Koesters ss 4-1-0-0, Black 3b 2-1-1-1, Dues 1b 4-1-1-1, Leah Homan c 2-0-0-0, Gillis cf/p 3-1-2-2, Backs rf 2-0-0-0, Klenke cr/ph 0-0-0-0, Borgerding lf/cf/p 4-1-2-1, Emma Homan p/lf 0-0-0-0. Totals 30-8-8-5.
Crestview (ab-r-h-rbi)
Schmid rf/2b 5-2-4-1, Rager ss 3-1-2-1, Hicks p/3b 5-0-2-3, Riggenbach c 3-0-0-0, Guest 3b/lf 1-2-0-0, Crowle 1b 2-0-0-0, Grote 2b/p 3-2-1-1, McClure lf 1-1-0-0, Mallory Bowen cr/rf 1-0-0-0, Millay cf 1-2-0-1. Totals 25-10-9-7.
Doubles: Black (CW), Hicks (CV).
LOB: Coldwater 9, Crestview 11.
WP: Grote. LP: Emma Homan.